i have some un-opened cases of SHTF ammo sitting in a closet and i was wondering how YOU store your SHTF ammo? i was thinking of opening all the cases and boxs then, filling steel ammo cans to the top with the loaded ammunition. i have a few ammo cans filled with boxed ammo but, if i open them and pour the ammo into the can i can fit ALOT more! good idea or bad?

I have 600 rounds in mags in the safe. The rest is in the original packaging on a shelf in the basement. Ideally the "rest" (or a couple K anyway) would be on stripper clips, in bandoleers, in ammo cans with desiccant. To be honest though I have other SHTF ammo packed as described above, if I go through 600 rounds and need more then I will be surprised.

If you get in a firefight/SHTF situation and if you live to use more than a hundred rounds...you're doing good. I've seen alot of combat...you RARELY use that much ammo (600rnds is ALOT in a gunfight.) Of course...if the zombies are attacking...let your imagination run wild.

Major

A combat load (180-210rnds) will suffice in MOST situations. I would have at least that much stored properly (in mags and ready to go.)

Originally Posted By MajorAR:If you get in a firefight/SHTF situation and if you live to use more than a hundred rounds...you're doing good. I've seen alot of combat...you RARELY use that much ammo (600rnds is ALOT in a gunfight.) Of course...if the zombies are attacking...let your imagination run wild.

Major

A combat load (180-210rnds) will suffice in MOST situations. I would have at least that much stored properly (in mags and ready to go.)

Originally Posted By MajorAR:If you get in a firefight/SHTF situation and if you live to use more than a hundred rounds...you're doing good. I've seen alot of combat...you RARELY use that much ammo (600rnds is ALOT in a gunfight.) Of course...if the zombies are attacking...let your imagination run wild.

Major

A combat load (180-210rnds) will suffice in MOST situations. I would have at least that much stored properly (in mags and ready to go.)

You gotta appreciate real world advice like this.

yes, it is great advise! the major is 100% correct.

since i have more than 210 rounds in my "ever getting smaller closet", my question was about putting ammo directly into a ammo can so i can make more room for more ammo!

Considering that most here are arm-chair commandos and wanna b war lords they will stock thousands of rounds for there fantasy shtf world. In reality , there is only a slight chance in hell that you as a civilian will need anymore than a mag or two loaded and ready o go.

Originally Posted By MajorAR:If you get in a firefight/SHTF situation and if you live to use more than a hundred rounds...you're doing good. I've seen alot of combat...you RARELY use that much ammo (600rnds is ALOT in a gunfight.) Of course...if the zombies are attacking...let your imagination run wild.

Major

A combat load (180-210rnds) will suffice in MOST situations. I would have at least that much stored properly (in mags and ready to go.)

You gotta appreciate real world advice like this.

No doubt, that's why I said "I would be surprised" if I needed more than 600 rounds loaded up and ready to go. Surprised to be alive is what I meant

Originally Posted By Grumple:Considering that most here are arm-chair commandos and wanna b war lords they will stock thousands of rounds for there fantasy shtf world. In reality , there is only a slight chance in hell that you as a civilian will need anymore than a mag or two loaded and ready o go.

Are you saying that I won't need 8.5K rounds of various 5.56 ammo at the ready ?

Alright, to the OP, a more specific answer as I re-read your post; Personally I like filling my ammo cans with boxed ammo but you could "dump" the rounds in loose as long as the cans have good seals and you put some desiccant in there with them, make sure it's the right amount for the space though. Also make sure you store said ammo can in a cool dry place. Doing that, you'll be fine. Oh, if you just dump them in, make sure they're all from the same LOT number and throw a piece of the box with the lot number in the can with all of the ammo so you know what it is and what lot number/year it was when you open it up in 40 years since you've never used it.

I just got 3k of wolf 7.62x39mm in the mail today... It's just gonna be stacked one on tope of another in the safe...

yes sadly I must stock pile wolf... ammo to expensive...

In regards to your question... I put some in cans but keep them in boxes... for when the SHTF you may want access to packs of (in wolf's case) 20 rd boxes to throw in your back pack... or if you keep a tactical vest then whatever you got in Mags and can hold on your vest use that and any other ammo... rathers its in cans or in boxes that are in cans.... just keep them cool and dry... or get the ammo that is in sealed cans... you could burry it for years and it'll be just as fresh today or in 100 years...

and Major... your the man for having gone through combat and lived to tell about it.... my uncle was in vietnam and my grandfather in the korean war (was a P.O.W. for 9 months and escaped and made his way back to US territory) and I've heard some crazy shit from them... so just like them... your a real battle hardened man...

Originally Posted By umc:Alright, to the OP, a more specific answer as I re-read your post; Personally I like filling my ammo cans with boxed ammo but you could "dump" the rounds in loose as long as the cans have good seals and you put some desiccant in there with them, make sure it's the right amount for the space though. Also make sure you store said ammo can in a cool dry place. Doing that, you'll be fine. Oh, if you just dump them in, make sure they're all from the same LOT number and throw a piece of the box with the lot number in the can with all of the ammo so you know what it is and what lot number/year it was when you open it up in 40 years since you've never used it.

thanks umc, this is the kind of answer to my question i was looking for. good idea about the lot numbers and date!

i do have a bit of ammo that i keep aside for SHTF, however, i am NOT an armchair commando, nor do i believe in zombies. in fact i dont have 600 mags either. really, i just wantd info about how some of you store your ammo.

Originally Posted By Grumple:Considering that most here are arm-chair commandos and wanna b war lords they will stock thousands of rounds for there fantasy shtf world. In reality , there is only a slight chance in hell that you as a civilian will need anymore than a mag or two loaded and ready o go.

i don't really shoot or have any guns that shoot the ammo i store... i really just stash it to throw at zombies

I try to keep 6 thirty round mags in each room of my house, six in each vehicle, and 20 in the garage. Another dozen in wrapped oil skin bags every 100 meters along the driveway. Then two boxes of cliped 8 round mags for my Garands, and a dozen loaded for two M-1 Carbines.On the roof I have 100 match loads for my Tactical Savage in 6.5X55.My dog has a special collar that holds 2 30 rounders ready to go.

Oh shit, actually I have one on my walker and 6 in my tactical bag that I can drag behind me.

Originally Posted By threefeathers:I try to keep 6 thirty round mags in each room of my house, six in each vehicle, and 20 in the garage. Another dozen in wrapped oil skin bags every 100 meters along the driveway. Then two boxes of cliped 8 round mags for my Garands, and a dozen loaded for two M-1 Carbines.On the roof I have 100 match loads for my Tactical Savage in 6.5X55.My dog has a special collar that holds 2 30 rounders ready to go.

Oh shit, actually I have one on my walker and 6 in my tactical bag that I can drag behind me.

Originally Posted By threefeathers:I try to keep 6 thirty round mags in each room of my house, six in each vehicle, and 20 in the garage. Another dozen in wrapped oil skin bags every 100 meters along the driveway. Then two boxes of cliped 8 round mags for my Garands, and a dozen loaded for two M-1 Carbines.On the roof I have 100 match loads for my Tactical Savage in 6.5X55.My dog has a special collar that holds 2 30 rounders ready to go.

Oh shit, actually I have one on my walker and 6 in my tactical bag that I can drag behind me.

Other than the dog (pretty good idea there), this is another outstanding example for the legal, civilian possession of M18A1 Claymore Mines --- less logistics required!

Bear

ETA: But to answer your original question; My Ready Ammo is all kept on strippers, packed in cardboards & in bandoleers. One spoon (stripper clip guide for the non-military types out there) per bandoleer, and two additional loose spoons sitting on top of the bandos packed inside the can. I have three cans of Ball and one can of Tracer packed this way and each can is marked with a yellow vinyl circular "dot" (red dot for tracer).

Gone are the days that I felt the need to keep loaded AR magazines in my LBE (old school here) just in case Ivan Pooshky came knocking. Now it's a loaded 45 Combat Commander in the safe, loaded Beretta 92 in the truck, and a loaded Sig 228 in my paddle holster for the common scumbag threat. If the threat level jumped I'd probably load up my Benelli and Ithica shotguns and just hunker down in to a "hull defilade" Bug In position. Of course if the threat level went thru the roof and I needed to scoot I'd load up a Basic Combat Load of 30s, plus a Beta C, and BUG OUT!

Now, about those Claymores.....

Is it that we have so often been told that violence is not the answer to everything that we fail to realize it IS the answer to some things?

Originally Posted By threefeathers:I try to keep 6 thirty round mags in each room of my house, six in each vehicle, and 20 in the garage. Another dozen in wrapped oil skin bags every 100 meters along the driveway. Then two boxes of cliped 8 round mags for my Garands, and a dozen loaded for two M-1 Carbines.On the roof I have 100 match loads for my Tactical Savage in 6.5X55.My dog has a special collar that holds 2 30 rounders ready to go. h

thanks man. i got a real laugh outta that. where'd you get the dog collar?

We all got enough ammo to probably open our own stores by now.I do not know if the SHTF will or will not happpen anytime soon but many here probably remember the first gun bans and registrations beginning with the dead Kennedys.When ammo and guns began to get banned and registered people did not think in time and were left out.Not this time and the world and the economy are a far worse place now and more reason to be armed and ready especially with the possible change to more democrats in power put there by the liberals with the help of the illegal aliens.Guns without ammo are nothing but clubs so it is necessary to stockpile and store for use.Looking at it from a goverment viewpoint if I was a democrat wanting to take away the citizens arms with all the folks stocking up that would scare the shit right out of me!Rather like a big nationwide CCW system in that you would never know whose door you may be trying to knock down and whether they might have one gun or a dozen and enough supplies and ammo to hold you off for weeks.Secure handy storage I think is more important than long term where you may never use it and buy as much as you can afford as you have it to barter with and share with friends and relatives.

Originally Posted By cx4stormer:i have some un-opened cases of SHTF ammo sitting in a closet and i was wondering how YOU store your SHTF ammo? i was thinking of opening all the cases and boxs then, filling steel ammo cans to the top with the loaded ammunition. i have a few ammo cans filled with boxed ammo but, if i open them and pour the ammo into the can i can fit ALOT more! good idea or bad?

Originally Posted By threefeathers:I try to keep 6 thirty round mags in each room of my house, six in each vehicle, and 20 in the garage. Another dozen in wrapped oil skin bags every 100 meters along the driveway. Then two boxes of cliped 8 round mags for my Garands, and a dozen loaded for two M-1 Carbines.On the roof I have 100 match loads for my Tactical Savage in 6.5X55.My dog has a special collar that holds 2 30 rounders ready to go.

Oh shit, actually I have one on my walker and 6 in my tactical bag that I can drag behind me.

All my ammo is in USGI ammo cans or in spam cans. I put most of my ammo on stripper clips, sleeves, bandoleers w/charger. All other ammo is still in the original box. I don't really see the point in dumping all the ammo loose into the can. I would definitely have my ammo in a can if it was stored in my garage or basement. I personally keep all my ammo in a climate controlled area.

Unless you are swimming or on fire, there is no such thing as too much ammo!

Originally Posted By cx4stormer:i have some un-opened cases of SHTF ammo sitting in a closet and i was wondering how YOU store your SHTF ammo? i was thinking of opening all the cases and boxs then, filling steel ammo cans to the top with the loaded ammunition. i have a few ammo cans filled with boxed ammo but, if i open them and pour the ammo into the can i can fit ALOT more! good idea or bad?

IMO, the only way to truly store SHTF ammo is loaded into magazines that are in new condition, tried and tested, in sealed ammo cans for easy grab-n-go.

Anything else just isn't SHTF if it's not ready to slap into a rifle. I have no use for bandoliers or chargers.